Turkeys Lurking in the Desert

What marks out the Promenade at Scottsdale is The Spire--that great, big, green-blue, poky sword thing reaching into the sky. It may be designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, but it is quite odd--and it stands rather in contrast to the general, softer, desert palette of Scottsdale. It doesn't even seem odd in the usual Frank Lloyd Wright way. No doubt this is because he didn't actually design it for this spot, and it was only built based around his design after his death. Turns out there is a long history behind the green, light-up, dragon tail sword sitting in the middle of North Scottsdale. 

But I'm not really here to talk about the green sword today. Because you know what you'll find if you wander by foot through the shopping area? A turkey.

Ah, yes, a turkey. It puts me in mind of that wonderful little ditty in A Winnie the Pooh Thanksgiving (which I am still waiting to see come up for streaming or on DVD or something). "A turkey may be lurking," sings Pooh as he and Piglet set out to hunt a fierce turkey for their Thanksgiving gathering. (At least said ditty is still discoverable through the magic of the Internet.) This turkey is not fierce, but it is big and grand. It is not the only animal surrounding the central fountain--and their lifelike designs are in direct contrast to the poky, green sword across the way.

For all that Frank Lloyd Wright's intentions in design included harmony with nature, as the use of his design now stands, the turkey feels much more harmonious with nature to me today. When buildings and streets and cement have overtaken so much of the land and the only plants left are the ones that are brought in and corralled into pre-approved spaces, a simple turkey or a crow in flight are a welcome find--even if they are not as alive as they appear. 

So take a moment to look beyond the glowing green giant spires. Turn into a quiet corner: you never know where a turkey may be lurking.